Looking for Soccer News?

Gerard Pique has said that Barcelona are “a bit broken”, despite recording a 3-0 win over Juventus to win the Joan Gamper Trophy.

It was an emotional evening at Camp Nou, with a press conference having taken place earlier in the day in which Lionel Messi bade a tearful goodbye to the club.

Pique has admitted that hopes are not high for the season ahead due to the loss of one of the game’s greatest ever players.

What was said?

“The team was honestly a bit broken because of Messi's departure, we will lose magic in attack, but we have to move forward, the fans expect a lot from us,” he said.

“We lose the best player of all time. It has hurt us and it hurt him too. I don't know the whole story, the two parties have said that it has been a matter of numbers... The management of the last years hasn't helped, but history shows that we will get up.

“People really want to come to the stadium and we have to cheer the fans. We have to start winning and give them nice things. We need the fans with us.”

How did Barcelona respond?

On the field, meanwhile, Barcelona responded positively against a Juventus team that contained such stars as Cristiano Ronaldo, Alvaro Morata and Matthijs de Ligt.

Indeed, they took the lead after just three minutes when Memphis Depay, one of those now expected to step up into the place of Messi, found the net.

In the second half, goals from Martin Braithwaite and Riqui Puig secured a one-sided victory.

The real test for Barca will follow when La Liga starts next week with a home encounter against Real Sociedad. 

Further Reading

Chidera Ejike scored CSKA Moscow's only goal in their 2-1 loss to Dinamo Moscow in Sunday's Premier League League clash.

The 23-year-old made Aleksei Berezutski's starting XI at the VTB Arena after coming on as a second-half substitute in their last two outings against Ufa and Lokomotiv Moscow.

Ejuke did not waste time and he immediately fire the visitors ahead with his eighth-minute opener but it was not enough to secure maximum points.

The opener separated both teams for almost an hour until Daniil Fomin turned the game around for Dinamo Moscow with his goals in the 58th and 73rd minutes.

Ejuke was on parade from start to finish, his third league appearance for the Red-Blues who suffered back-to-back losses after last Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Lokomotiv Moscow.

Dinamo Moscow, on the other hand, had Cameroon's Clinton N'Jie in action for 62 minutes before he was replaced while Nigeria's Sylvester Igboun was an unused substitute.

The defeat moved CSKA Moscow down to 10th in the Premier League table with three points after three matches while Dinamo Moscow rose to the third spot with nine points, behind leaders Zenit St. Petersburg and second-placed Rubin Kazan who have the same number of points but a higher goal difference.

Ejuke will aim to help the Red-Blues turn their form around when they visit 19th-placed Rostov for their next league match on August 14 while Dinamo have a date with Akhmat Grozny that same date.

The former Nigeria youth international has proved his goalscoring capabilities in Aleksei Berezutski's team since he joined from Dutch Eredivisie club Heerenveen in August 2020. Last season, the Nigeria winger scored five goals in 25 Premier League matches for the Red-Blues.

He made his Super Eagles debut in an international friendly fixture against Tunisia that ended in a 1-1 draw last October, after replacing Samuel Chukwueze in the 78th minute.

Roma have joined the race to sign Tammy Abraham amid Inter's interest in their striker Edin Dzeko.

Inter are looking at Dzeko as a potential replacement for Romelu Lukaku, who is set to join Chelsea in a deal worth £98 million ($135m).

And, if Roma do lose their star forward, they'll look towards Stamford Bridge for a replacement as they eye a potential deal for Abraham.

Who else is in for Abraham?

Roma aren't the only club looking to sign Abraham this summer, as Arsenal and Atalanta are also interested

Atalanta's interest stems from the potential loss of Duvan Zapata, another player linked with the role of Lukaku replacement at Inter.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are also said to be interested, but Abraham's final landing spot remains unclear as clubs are reluctant to pay the £40m ($55m) asking price demanded by Chelsea at the moment.

Abraham's career so far

Abraham has been with Chelsea since joining their academy in 2004, making his senior debut for the club in 2015.

He's gone on to make 82 total appearances, scoring 30 goals, while also featuring on loan for Bristol City, Swansea and Aston Villa.

Last season, Abraham fell down the pecking order at Chelsea, scoring 12 goals in 32 total appearances after scoring 18 in 47 games the season prior.

Further reading

Nigeria National League club Bayelsa United have won the 2021 Aiteo Cup after defeating NPFL side Nasarawa United via penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw at the end of extra-time.

After they narrowly missed qualification for next season's continental competitions, Nasarawa United - who finished fourth in the Nigerian top-flight table - turned their attention to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Sunday.

The Solid Miners, however, could not overcome Bayelsa United who secured the last qualification ticket for next season’s Caf Confederation Cup with a 4-3 win in the penalty shoot-out.

It was an intriguing first 45 minutes in Benin as both teams found the back of the net with the Yenagoa-based outfit opening the scoring in the through Inikurogha Okardi in the 19th minute. The lead did not last long as Nasarawa responded through Chinedu Ohanachom's equaliser.

Towards the half hour-mark, Aliyu Abdullahi linked up with Silas Nwankwo to put the Solid Miners in front with their second goal but in the 36th minute, Bayelsa United replied with their leveller.

It ended 2-2 in the first-half and both sides struggled to grab the match-winning goal after the restart and in the extra-time before the encounter headed into a shoot-out.

Sunday’s celebration was not just for the men’s team as the Bayelsa Queens also claimed the women’s title and a cash prize of 10 million naira.

Queens defeated FC Robo 4-2 at the same venue in Benue  before their men fought their way to victory after 120 minutes of football.

Hearts of Oak are Ghana FA Cup champions after beating Ashanti Gold 7-8 on penalties in the final on Sunday.

Following a 0-0 draw after extra-time, the game headed into a shoot-out where the Phobians emerged supreme at the Accra Sports Stadium.

It was Kofi Mensah’s miss in what was a dramatic marathon shoot-out which handed the trophy to the Accra-based side.

Hearts have now completed a double in the 2020-21 term, having earlier beaten arch-rivals Asante Kotoko to the Premier League title.

It is their first time of sealing the double since 2000 when they last won the cup competition.

Hearts coach Samuel Boadu presented a very strong starting line-up which featured usual suspects Patrick Razak and Daniel Afriyie Barnieh in attack. 

For AshGold, Yaw Annor, Mark Agyekum and Seth Osei were handed the responsibility of leading the search for goals.

Both teams, however, failed to find the back of the net in 120 minutes of action as referee Daniel Laryeah sent the game into penalties.

In the shoot-out, Amos Addai and David Abagna (AshGold) and Caleb Amankwah and Barnieh (Hearts) missed their efforts in the first five of kicks for each team, launching the shoot-out into sudden death.

When Benjamin Afutu missed Hearts’ 10th penalty kick, Seth Osei spurned the chance to win it for AshGold as he failed to convert what would have clinched the cup for his side.

There was even more misery to come for the Miners as Mensah missed their 11th kick after goalkeeper Richard Attah had earlier scored the corresponding take for Hearts.

The most successful club in the history of the competition, the Phobians have now established themselves as Ghana’s FA Cup kings, having made it 11 titles now, one more than arch-rivals Kotoko.

Sunday’s win also hands Hearts the opportunity to represent Ghana in next season’s Caf Confederation Cup but having earlier also secured the Champions League ticket by virtue of winning the Premier League, the Phobians are expected to choose the latter competition.

According to the Ghana Football Association, Kotoko or Medeama could then represent the West African nation in the Confederation Cup.

Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman insists that the Catalan club remain “excited” about what is to come in the 2021-22 season, despite seeing Lionel Messi depart the club.

The iconic attacker said a tearful goodbye to Barcelona on Sunday as it became clear that the club had no way of registering him.

While Messi is expected to join Paris Saint-Germain, Koeman has been putting a brave face on what is to come for Barcelona, who are also struggling to find a way to register new additions Sergio Aguero, Eric Garcia and Memphis Depay due to their financial problems.

What was said?

Speaking ahead of the Gamper Trophy encounter with Juventus, Koeman told the fans: “Despite the farewell of Messi, we are very excited about this season. We are convinced that we will give you many joys this season." 

“The youngsters are the future of this great club. 

“It has been very hard to play a whole year without an audience, we are delighted to see you again.”

Who is the new Barcelona captain?

Sergio Busquets will take over from Messi as the new Barcelona captain. He thanked the six-time Ballon d’Or winner and said he is excited for the challenge. 

“It is a pride to be the captain,” the long-serving midfielder explained. “I have had great examples with Carles Puyol, Xavi and Leo. Thank you Leo for taking Barça to the highest level... Eternal thanks Leo.”

Further Reading

Guinea forward Mohamed Bayo and Benin Republic midfielder Jodel Dossou powered Clermont Foot to a 2-0 victory over Bordeaux in Sunday’s Ligue 1 outing.

Playing away from home, the French elite division new boys left it late to sting their hosts which paraded Nigeria international Samuel Kalu and Mozambique's Mexer.

Although the Girondins went into the game as outstanding favourites, they put every foot wrong as they were shocked before their home fans by the less fancied Lancers.

With the encounter staged inside Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux heading for a 0-0 draw, Clermont went ahead in the 82nd minute through Bayo, who tapped the ball past Benoit Costil thanks to an assist from Kosovo’s Elbasan Rashani.

While Vladimir Petkovic’s team were pushing hard for an equaliser, they leaked in the second goal in the closing stages of the game as Dossou converted a pass from Jordan Tell.

At the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Wahbi Khazri helped AS Saint-Etienne secure a 1-1 draw with Terem Moffi's Lorient.

The first half ended 0-0, but it was the visiting Merlucciidaes who took a 52nd-minute lead through Vincent Le Goff.

A wonderful counter-attack down the right flank found the French defender, whose first-time strike slammed into the bar and past goalkeeper Etienne Green.

Twenty minutes from full-time, Khazri ensured that the points were shared after he converted from the penalty mark following a foul on him by Julien Laporte in the box.

Referee Thomas Leonard had waved aside penalty appeals, but he reversed his decision following VAR replays.

In another fixture, Strasbourg were overpowered 2-0 at home by Angers with Ismael Traore and Cameroon’s Stephane Bahoken finding the net.

Cote d’Ivoire’s Traore gave the Black and Whites a well-deserved lead at Stade de la Meinauin after heading Thomas Mangani’s cross past Matz Sels in the 57th minute.

Nine minutes from full-time, Bahoken struck a second for the visiting side near the penalty spot following Mohamed-Ali Cho’s excellent wing play.

Meanwhile, Mali defender Boubakar Kouyate saw red as Lille played a 3-3 draw at Metz.

The 24-year-old centre-back was shown the way out in the 56th minute for a poor lunging tackle on Burak Yilmaz.

Profiting from the numerical advantage, the reigning French kings bounced back from their 3-1 deficit to ensure that the game ended all square.

Jurgen Klopp has hinted that Liverpool will look to make further signings before the transfer window closes.

But the Reds boss insists that if no further business is done at Anfield, he will be happy to head into the new season with what he already has at his disposal.

Liverpool have so far made only one major signing this summer, bringing in defender Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig in a £36million ($50m) deal back in May.

What did Klopp say about transfers?

Speaking after Liverpool’s 1-1 friendly draw with Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, Klopp was asked directly if he was happy with his squad and with the Reds’ summer business.

He said: "I am very happy with the squad, but it doesn't mean that we don't look at the market.

"But as long as nothing happens, I am more than happy with the squad I have. I am more than happy with the players I have.

"We have so many things that you cannot sign. You cannot sign our counter-pressing, you cannot sign our atmosphere that we create in the stadium, you cannot sign Anfield, you cannot sign our anthem.

"You cannot sign a lot of things and that's what we have to use. There are other approaches out there, obviously, and we have influence on that. Our situation is like it is.

"We have a big squad and there might be something happening until the end of the transfer window, but I cannot say anything about that at the moment."

Who have Liverpool been linked with?

The feeling among fans is that a new midfielder to replace the departed Gini Wijnaldum, as well as a forward to provide competition in attack, would be ideal.

A host of names have been linked, though the majority have been dismissed by Anfield sources. Saul Niguez of Atletico Madrid, for example, is not understood to be on the agenda, nor is Italy star Federico Chiesa or the Portugal midfielder Renato Sanches.

West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen has admirers at the club, as do Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Florian Neuhaus and Brighton’s Yves Bissouma. Liverpool’s recruitment team have also looked at the likes of Harvey Barnes of Leicester and Pedro Neto of Wolves.

Jonathan David, the Lille striker, has been watched in the past but there will be no deal for the Canada international as things stand. The same goes for Watford’s Ismaila Sarr.

In terms of outgoings, it remains to be seen if the likes of Nat Phillips, Xherdan Shaqiri, Neco Williams and Divock Origi are offloaded. Shaqiri is wanted by clubs in Italy and Spain, while Phillips has long-standing interest from Brighton and Burnley, among others. 

Ben Davies, meanwhile, could leave on loan, with Sheffield United currently leading the race.

Further reading

AmaZulu FC midfielder Makhehlene Makhaula has credited coach Benni McCarthy for his improvement as he made his mark in the PSL last season.

The experienced player was one of the most outstanding central midfielders in the league as Usuthu challenged for the PSL title and eventually finished second behind champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Makhaula revealed how McCarthy, who is a retired striker, gave him the confidence to play simple football which saw him being nominated for the PSL Midfielder of the Season award. 

"Many people knew me as a very hard-tackling midfielder, so coach Benni McCarthy told me to play simple football," Makhaula told the media.  

"He also made me grow in confidence. When he came in, it was like he always watched me. He believed in me."

Makhaula was hoping that his consistent displays for AmaZulu would be enough to catch the eye of the South Africa senior national team selectors.

However, the former Free State Stars and Highlands Park player was snubbed by Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos and his assistants Helman Mkhalele and Cedomir Janevski.

Makhaula admitted that he was disappointed, but he was pleased to see his club teammates Veli Mothwa and Siyethemba Sithebe help Bafana clinch the 2021 Cosafa Cup in Port Elizabeth.

"For me, I was disappointed for not being part of that Cosafa Cup team," the experienced player added. 

"But was comforted by the fact that Veli Mothwa and Siyethemba Sithebe were part of that team and did well. I still believe there's still an opportunity to receive that call-up."

Makhaula, who is set to turn 32 in November this year, promised to continue working hard in the 2021/22 campaign.

"Next season you will see a better Makhaula. I won't stop, I will keep on fighting for the club, I'm more motivated for the new season," he concluded.

AmaZulu are scheduled to take on Cape Town City in the MTN8 quarter-final match on August 15.

U.S. men's national team star Gio Reyna says that Jadon Sancho told him to take the No. 7 shirt from him before he left Borussia Dortmund to join Manchester United this summer.

Reyna discussed the influence that Sancho had on his career, as the young American says that the England winger served as a real mentor for him throughout his rise at Dortmund.

And now Reyna is replacing Sancho as the club's No. 7 as the now-Man Utd winger repeatedly told the American that he wanted him to take over the shirt.

What did Reyna say about Sancho?

"He talked to me about it from time to time last season," he told Kicker. "He said that if he should leave the club, I should wear his number."

He continued: "I can't thank him enough for what he's done for me since we've known each other. He told me that from day one I can talk to him at any time if I have a problem.

"And he also helped me on the field by teaching me to believe in myself, to be self-confident and to express that. No matter how young I am, you can be a good player if you believe in yourself.

"He set an example for me."

The influence of Reus and Piszczek

Sancho isn't the only player that has had an influence on Reyna during his first few years at Dortmund.

The American discussed how veterans Marco Reus and Lukasz Piszczek have set the tone for everyone at the club, serving as mentors for the younger players in the team.

"He's an absolute legend at this club," Reyna said of Reus, who competes for minutes with the American in the Dortmund attack. 

"I don't necessarily see us as competitors either. Sure, there are certain similarities between us and the way we play.

"To this day, I look up to him and watch things from him. I think it's great that we have him. If you want to say there's a competition between the two of us, then it is very healthy."

On Piszczek, who left the club after over a decade to join his hometown club Goczałkowice-Zdroj this summer, Reyna added: "The way he worked hard on himself day after day as a professional and always pulled the team along was outstanding.

"We all loved him. With his attitude, he was an absolute role model for us."

Further reading

Joel Obi scored his first goal for Salernitana in Sunday’s 3-1 pre-season friendly defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Following the expiration of his contract at Chievo, the midfielder joined the newly promoted Serie A side on a one-year contract with the option of an extension.

Against the Premier League outfit, he found the net but his team bowed away from home to Dean Smith’s men.

Following wins over Fermana and Palermo, the Italian outfit travelled to England in a bid to extend their winning run to three as well as end their pre-season campaign on a high.

Notwithstanding, Fabrizio Castori’s team returned to Stadio Arechi with heads bowed low.

The Claret and Blue Army started brightly with Jaden Philogene-Bidace firing a shot on goal but Danny Ings was unable to score from the rebound.

Despite dominating ball possession, the English top-flight side conceded first after 20 minutes when a Salernitana free-kick was headed into the path of the former Inter Milan star, who made no mistake by nodding the ball past goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

The Italians almost doubled their lead when Nadir Zortea dashed into the hosts’ penalty area, beat Ezri Konsa, hit his shot at Emiliano Martinez, but the rebound sailed wide.

That miss proved costly as Ings levelled the scores for Smith’s side after converting a cutback from English midfielder Jaden Philogene-Bidace inside the box.

The Lions took the lead before half-time as Anwar El Ghazi scored from the penalty spot after Ollie Watkins was fouled in the box.

Both teams made plenty of substitutions heading into the second half, and it was former Manchester United star Ashley Young who tucked home the third goal after benefitting from a fine exchange between Matty Cash and Jacob Ramsey.

Burkina Faso international Bertrand Traore created more scoring chances for the home team, but they failed to convert any of them.

Zimbabwe international Marvelous Nakamba was handed a place in the starting XI, but he was substituted for Ramsey in the 61st minute, while Nigeria prospect Carney Chukwuemeka came in for Watkins in the 48th minute.

Aston Villa will begin their 2021-22 Premier League campaign versus Watford next weekend.

Four-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o has urged Lionel Messi not to cry about his departure from Barcelona after he "gave his all" for the club.

The Argentina forward's contract at Camp Nou expired at the end of June and Barcelona made efforts to renew his deal last week, but they were restricted by La Liga’s financial regulations.

Three days after the Blaugrana announced that he will not be returning to the club, a tearful Messi held a press conference at the club premises on Sunday as he confirmed his exit after 21 years in Catalonia.

“Don't cry son, you gave it all but life is something we cannot explain. We love you,” Eto’o captioned the video of Messi's final farewell on Instagram.

Messi stands as Barcelona's all-time top appearance maker and top scorer with 672 goals in 778 matches across all competitions since he made his debut appearance at the age of 17 in 2004.

He played with Eto’o for five years before the African legend left Camp Nou for another challenge at Inter Milan in 2009.

The duo won three La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey, two Spanish Super Cups and two Uefa Champions League trophies together at Barcelona between 2004 and 2009.

Eto’o, however, is unsure about Messi’s next destination but he admits that it would be painful to see the six-time Ballon d’Or winner wear another club’s shirt after over two decades in Catalonia.

“What a pain to imagine [you] with another t-shirt. I want you, son,” he wrote in another post.

During Sunday’s session with reporters, Messi disclosed that a move to the French capital remains a possibility for him.

“Paris Saint-Germain is a possibility, yes,” he said.

"At the moment nothing is confirmed, I received a lot of calls after the Barcelona statement. We’re talking about it.

"A lot of things have been said about me, but on my behalf we did everything I could because I wanted to stay. Last year I didn't want to stay and I said it. This year I did and I couldn't.”

Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena has claimed they are building a team that will be a nightmare for opponents to play against.

The league champions will expect a tough challenge in the 2021/22 season from opponents who have signed several players, especially Kaizer Chiefs. who served a Fifa ban before.

Nevertheless, the coach is convinced they will create a side that will be even stronger than last season for the rivals to battle.

"We have three parts in terms of our focus. The first is to integrate the new players into the group and make sure they adapt to the culture and the personality that we are trying to create out of this team," the coach told the club's media department.
 
"We want to improve our team, certain skills and certain ways of doing things on the pitch. Big kudos to the players for a fantastic approach towards the pre-season as the work ethics have been extremely pleasing. The players have looked sharp and this augurs well with regard to the technical preparations for the season. 

"Another aspect that we are focused on is the creation of the mentality and personality of the team. We want to create a team that is a nightmare to play against, one that can hurt opponents in different ways, and we have got to create a culture for that. 
 
"It is not just a play as it is a mentality that we have got to create. That is something we have been focused on and I must say that we are happy with the progress of the group and the work that has been invested."

Mokwena also spoke about Thabiso Kutumela and what the Brazilians fans can expect from him.

"The good thing about the boy is that I know the boy very well, his mentality is an outlook of life," he added.

"The way he looks at football and how football plays a role in his own life. He is passionate about the game and makes a lot of sacrifices for football. 

"Tactically, Kutumela is a player that allows us a lot of options in our frontline because he can play as a number nine or 10. He can play on the right and on the left wing, so he can do the job there because he has the ability to adapt to different positions and the demands of those positions.
 
"However, we brought him as a number 10 because we felt that we did not have a number 10 that could play as a number nine when we are attacking and maybe even as number eight when we are out of possession."

Just like the other new signings, the former Orlando Pirates striker agreed on a five-year deal with the Pretoria side.

Gareth Bale will wear the No.50 shirt after being named in Real Madrid's starting line-up for their pre-season encounter with AC Milan in Klagenfurt, Austria.

It marks the Wales international’s first performance for Los Blancos since he departed on loan to Tottenham last October. Indeed, the last time he took to the field in the club’s colours was a Primera Division match against Real Mallorca in June 2020.

Bale, who signed for Madrid in 2013, has previously played 251 matches for the club, scoring 105 goals, and was a key figure in four Champions League title triumphs.

Bale’s future

Bale has cut a controversial figure at the Bernabeu in recent seasons, with a belief locally that he has failed to justify his wages on the field, prioritising other aspects of his life ahead of his footballing career.

This has led to speculation that he could depart the club, particularly when it was reported that he had not been given a squad number for the new season. Instead, Marco Asensio had claimed his favourite shirt No.11.

There had even been speculation he might retire, though that was swiftly and emphatically rebuked by the Bale camp.

Nevertheless, with wages reported to be in the region of €30 million per year, and the transfer market in a state of depression following the Covid-19 pandemic, it appears unlikely that any club will be willing to take on Bale due to the finances involved and the player’s recent patchy history with injuries.

The likelihood is, then, that the Wales star will remain in Madrid until 2022, at which point his contract will expire and he will become a free agent.

Further Reading

Richards Bay FC assistant coach Pitso Dladla says Austin Dube and Njabulo Ngcobo can succeed at Kaizer Chiefs if they learn how to deal with the pressure from the fans and media. 

The local tactician coached the duo at KwaZulu-Natal clubs Uthongathi FC and Richards Bay in the National First Division. 

Dladla pointed out that the two defenders have an opportunity to grow at the Naturena-based giants having been part of South Africa's squad at the 2021 Cosafa Cup in Port Elizabeth. 

"Playing for Kaizer Chiefs is a good opportunity for them, a growth we want to see as coaches," Dladla told the media.

"I think playing in the Cosafa Cup and winning it really helped them to get used to pressure ahead of their move to a big club like Chiefs. It won't be easy but I trust they will succeed."

Dube was included in the Bafana Bafana squad after he helped Richards Bay finish second in the NFD and the team qualified for the PSL promotion/relegation playoffs.

While Ngcobo was also named in the Bafana squad having enjoyed a successful season with Swallows FC which saw him being named PSL Defender of the Season. 

There has been talk of Dube and Ngcobo becoming Chiefs' new central defensive duo under the club's accomplished coach Stuart Baxter. 

"Dube has a huge advantage as we don't have enough central defenders that are left-backs," Dladla continued. 

"A partnership with Njabulo Ngcobo would be a very good one for Chiefs but at the end of the day coach, Stuart Baxter and his team will decide. 

"The reality is that we can love them but competition and a club's approach may not suit them, so we need to be very clear on that.

"I think if they need to succeed at Kaizer Chiefs, they must be able to deal with pressure from supporters and media. That's critical when you play for a big club," he concluded. 

Dube and Ngcobo will be hoping to make their official debuts for Chiefs when they take on Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 quarter-final match on August 15.